Police deny arresting Good Samaritan, warn against falsehood

Allegations that a Good Samaritan, Happiness, was arrested by policemen at Ifako Division, Lagos command after picking up a missing four-year-old girl has been debunked by the Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, yesterday, warning Lagos residents to stop acts that could pit the people against security forces.

A story written by one Anuoluwapo Eso and shared on Facebook by a banker, Akinmade Boluwaji, accused the police of unjust arrest of Sister Happiness, a member of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Glory Worship Centre, who found a stray child by the Ifako canal on July 20, and took her to the church.

In the viral report titled “police is not our friend”, it was alleged that the church headed by Pastor Tope Akimbola, took the missing child to Alakara Police Station, which has children and juvenile centre.

According to Owoseni, the woman was arrested because she never took the child to the church directly as alleged. He said despite that the woman works in the neighbourhood and heard for over six days that the child had gone missing, she never told anyone, not even her employer that she saw a missing girl and took her to Alakara Police Station.

The police boss added that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ifako smelt a rat when the woman eventually came forward because the victim’s guardians allegedly received an anonymous message demanding ransom for her freedom.

When contacted, Eso declined comments on the matter, telling our reporter that “the matter has been settled and the woman released.”